Profiles of 1998 alcohol test results by gender and age category for first-time and repeat offenses appear in Table 3. (The distribution of these demographic characteristics across alcohol test results was similar for 1999 and 2000.) First-time offenses committed by women were slightly more likely than offenses committed by males to involve a high BAC and slightly less likely to involve an alcohol test refusal. Female repeat offenders were more likely than males to have a high-BAC test result. (However, as males committed the large majority of first-time and repeat offenses, they also represented the majority of offenses involving high BACs and alcohol test refusals.) With the exception of first offenders age 55 and older, increasing age was associated with an increasing proportion of high-BAC test results among first and repeat offenders. Test refusal rate was the highest among 35-54 year-old first and repeat offenders.

Table 3

Alcohol Test Results for First-time and Repeat DWI Offenses by Gender and Age CategoryMinnesota, 1998